I have been offered to buy a beautiful 1937 Phico Radiobar, having many of the original glassware items as well - still works. Is a very early mode, as it has an RCA chassis instead of the usual Philco one. Someone's grandfathers, so well taken care of and kept in the family.

I have NO IDEA what I should offer for this radio, nor does the seller have a clue of its value.

If possible, if someone knows or can refer me to someone to contact where I do not have to join a group or pay a membership fee to find out, please let me know.

And, I might add, such finds are truly a matter of what the seller is willing to take to part with the thing and what the buyer is willing to pay for it.

Do a bit of web research regarding the actual brand and model number, see what you find out and then make a reasonable offer according to that.

Of course, there is no reason to be ashamed about the art of the deal, either. If you offer an amount that the seller is willing to accept, that's a done deal. One man's junk being another man's treasure...

Last I heard the market for consoles has taken a dive... Art Deco tabletop sets are in vogue as are kitsch AA5's, but a console has to be truly magnificent before it attracts serious coin. In this case the condition sounds like a plus, inclusion of the glassware a double plus, but to a serious collector the chassis transplant could be an issue.

It was not uncommon in the early days for radios to be sold in three pieces: Chassis, Speaker, Cabinet. The customer could mix & match as taste and budget allowed, but I've seen a Radiobar at the local antique radio get together and it looked like it was sold as a "complete" piece. Could be wrong about that, but that's the impression I got from it.

Some collectors don't care if a radio plays as long as the cosmetics are good, but if given the choice between original / doesn't play and hybridized / does play, they'll opt for original condition. Gotta' have the rare parts if you're after a quality restoration.

Anyway... Best advice is to keep an eye on eBay as there's a good chance the seller is doing the same.

Deciding a truly 'fair' price isn't as easy as it might seem because the market does vary over time, geographic region, and the perceived rarity / quality of the piece itself.

BTW -- Related Thot: Monday nights on PBS after Antiques Roadshow is a new series called The Pickers. Basic concept is a group of fleamarket aficionados tasked with scoring a bargain on goods they can flip at auction. Best return on money spent wins the contest. Interesting to watch the thought process and techniques used... There is an entire subculture of people who make a living trading 'stuff' at weekend fleas and I'm starting to make a point of watching the show each week.......

I had one of these years ago,I think I sold it for 150.My 1991 guide book says its worth 800-1200 depending on model,how complete working? its an easy fix?.It's all about what its worth to you. I'd buy it for 75-100.

$1,500 for this fine unit. What a great idea, a radio with a bar built in. Listen to world news in 1937... Hitler, Stalin, the Depression, invasions in Ethiopia and China... soon hear War of the Worlds and the invasion of Poland.

Last I heard the market for consoles has taken a dive... Art Deco tabletop sets are in vogue

Those huge consoles were something found only in old people's homes when I was a kid. I can't look at one without smelling moth balls! My grandparents had one. Was looking the the huge numbers of models Philco made in the late 1930s. I wouldn't want one of those monstrosities.

OTOH, Zenith made some radios that are gorgeous even by modern standards. This 1938 art deco 5-tube model I own is a knock out. It also sounds great on AM and its shortwave band. Radios like these should have real value long after the last Collins has gone to the dump.

Everyone knows only the life cycle of a Heathshkit begins at a landfill and ends at a landfill.Like Salmon return to the river where they were born, so too does a Heathshkit return to the first landfill it was thrown in...

Collins gear, not so much. It's always worth a few dollars at a Hamfest, and many times more than a few.

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